July 9th

 "Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly; 

    the faithful have disappeared from humankind." Psalm 12:1

where have all the faithful gone?

we've gone chasing after

the peddlers of broken promises.

where have all the godly gone?

we've left the thin places

to fill the arenas of those demanding

a different way than the gospel

of love, hope, grace, justice.

where have all the merciful gone?

we've linked arms in solidarity

with anyone who blames everyone

for everything.

where have all the helpers, the 

peacemakers, the menders, 

the gentle, the welcomers gone?

farther away from your Beloved Community

as you would ever have imagined, and

we can't seem to find those 

breadcrumbs you left

so we could find our way back.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman